What Might have Been
by DemonRyu
Summary: Seifer and Rinoa have a little chat...


"What Might Have Been"  
  
  
  
Rinoa watched as two stars streaked against the dark night. They weren't racing each other, instead, they seemed to run together. She reached up with a hand to clasp the two rings her chain. Everytime she saw stars, she thought of Squall and their promise.   
But she also thought of another sometimes...  
  
Sure I think about you now and then. But it's been a long, long time.  
I've got a good life now, I've moved on. So when you cross my mind...  
  
"Rinoa?"  
She turned at the sound of the voice, nervously clearing her throat.  
"Seifer?"  
Silence, except for the sound of footsteps. Seifer came up beside her, the moonlight glinting off the black metal of his gunblade and his necklace. He looked dangerous, for a moment...  
"I'm not planning on throwing you overboard. You know.. I am sorry for what I did... then..."  
He couldn't bring himself to say it. Not Adel's name, not Ulimetica's.. Not to her, not now.  
"I know.. Seifer. You were under her control."  
  
I try not to think about... What might have been...  
Cause that was then... And we have taken different roads...  
  
"So, what did you bring me out her for?"  
"I wanted to tell you something, before I told.. or showed anyone else..."  
Seifer's brows furrowed, what did.. Oh. Squall. His eyes narrowed slightly. Their .. relationship.. was still strained. Though they talked.  
  
We can't go back again, there's no use giving in... And there's no way to know... What might have been  
  
She held out her hand to him, the small diamond catching the moonlight.   
"He proposed... last night..."  
  
Seifer's breath caught in his throat, before he let it out in a small hiss. Rinoa's looked up at him, her doe like eyes always entrapting him. It had been those eyes that had nearly stopped him from throwing her to Adel. But then, he had been too far gone.. Wanting to show that he was a loyal knight, and wanting to show Squall that he was not the golden boy. And in doing so.. he had had lost everything that had meant something to him.  
  
His friends.. His pride.. Rinoa....  
  
That summer...  
  
"I wish I could stay, Rinoa..."  
"I wish you could, too!"  
She was pouting, softly. They had spent the whole summer together. First as friends, then something more.. At least, Seifer hoped so. She had taught him so much. How to laugh, how to relax, and he had taught her. She had joined the Forest Owls a year before he had appeared on the scene.. but he had passed along some of his Seed training. Although he was only a cadet, they all looked up to him.   
It would be after he left, that the "romantic" dream would take over, and his life would sprial out of contol..  
"Well, after you become a Seed.. You can have all your friends help us!"  
"Of course..." He smiled, ruffling her hair. She rolled her eyes, and stuck out her tongue at him.  
"Seifer..."  
He frowned. She suddenly sounded so serious.  
"What is it?"  
"Promise me something."  
"Anything for you."  
"Promise that you'll never forget us."  
"I won't. I promise."  
  
We could sit and talk about this all night long... And wonder why we didn't last  
  
"Seifer, what are you thinking about?"  
"A promise I made to you.. I just remembered it."  
Rinoa just frowned at him thoughtfully. The GF hadn't ruined as many of her memories as her friends. She supposed it was an offshoot of her powers. Or perhaps because she didn't keep them junctioned for that long.  
"Oh that's right. You said you would never forget us."  
"That summer.. was the last care-free one I ever had..."  
  
Yes, they might be the best days we will ever know... But we'll have to leave them in the past...  
  
She placed a hand on his arm, the gentle gesture shocking him. However, his gaze was on that ring. The ring that *he* should had placed on her finger. But he gave that chance up long ago.  
  
So try not to think about... What might have been... Cause that was then...  
  
"Seifer, what happened was *not* your fault. And we've all forgiven you. I did a long time ago. There was a difference between the boy I knew, and the person that threw me to Adel."  
He lifted his eyes, meeting hers. She smiled.  
  
And we have taken different roads... We can't go back again, there's no use giving in... And there's no way to know... What might have been...  
  
It had been a night like this. A soft summer evening. The night of their first kiss. They had gone to Obel Lake for the day.. away from the real world. She wasn't a member of the Forest Owls, he wasn't a Seed cadet. It had just been them, Rinoa and Seifer. They had spent the whole day together, laughing and discussing plans for their future.  
That night, a full moon had shone upon them. Full of promise. The same moon that hung over them now.   
  
That same old look in your eyes... It's a beautiful night... I'm so tempted to stay...  
  
"You know it, but they don't. I don't think they ever will."   
He turned, dislodging her hand.  
"I should go."  
"Seifer...."  
  
But too much time has gone by... We should just say goodbye... And turn and walk away...  
  
"Seifer. I just want you to be happy."  
He had started to walk away, but paused. He slowly turned to face her again.  
"Happy, Rinoa? Happiness is something I lost long ago."  
Her face fell, and she turned away from him.   
"Fine then. Leave."  
"Rinoa.. I.."  
  
And try not to think about... What might have been...Cause that was then... And we have taken different roads...  
  
Nothing. He sighed then, inwardly. He softly walked back over to her, laying a hand on her shoulder. It was a soft touch, she almost didn't feel it.  
"I'm glad you found the one that made you complete. I just wish..."  
  
We can't go back again, there's no use giving in... And there's no way to know... What might have been...  
  
"...That I had been the one..."  
She gasped, her head going up and around. But he was gone. Her hand once again reached up to go around the rings on her chain.  
  
"But you did that summer, Seifer."  
She whispered it to the shadows beside her. "I never forgot the promise either."  
  
No, we'll never know  
What might have been  
  
  
A/n - Just two more songfics to go, I promise. I hope everyone liked this one. Seifer seems ooc (at least, to me).. but it is after the game ends and all... Well, as usual - I don't own FF8, or any characters used here. Or the Song. "What Might have Been" - Little Texas.  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
